The idea of this site is to provide a resource for anyone with a an interest in Baker-Nunn cameras, their history, and their future. Fifteen of these wonderful instruments were originally built by Boller & Chivens in the late 1950′s for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (12 cameras) and the US Air Force (3 cameras). Their optical design was, even by todays standards, pretty incredible. A very fast f/1 with a 20″ aperture that could image a 5×30 degree swath of sky! Mechanically, they were/are complex but they provided an elegant solution to one of the problems of the day.

Specifications

Aperture – 20″

Focal Ratio – f/1

Optical Design – Modified Schmidt with 3-element corrector

Corrector – 3-element with 4 aspherical surfaces

Primary Mirror – 31″ spherical

Focal Surface – Aspherical

Image Quality – 80% energy within a 30um spot

Mount (SAO) – 3-axis (alt-alt-az)

Mount (USAF) – 3-axis with option to tilt base to equatorial position

Number Built – 12 for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and 3 for the US Air Force